Ringo Starr Rehab Story NOT True

Ringo Starr is not in rehab, despite a report. Gossip Cop can help correct the claim. A rep for the star says the allegation is false.

The story comes from RadarOnline, which announced in a headline on Wednesday, “Ringo In Rehab! ‘Alcoholic’ Starr Wants A ‘Tune Up.'” According to the outlet, the “ex-Beatles drummer is drying out before his fall tour,” and has “checked into rehab.” The site specifically claimed Starr “has been in a residential program for weeks.”

“Ringo wanted to go into rehab,” a so-called “insider” was quoted as saying. “As a long-recovering alcoholic, he’s constantly worried about falling off the wagon. That’s his biggest fear. The temptations to drink and do drugs again are all around him, especially when he’s on the road. He wanted to make sure that didn’t happen!”

As proof that Starr is in treatment, the webloid says, “Spywitnesses [sic] spotted Starr and a sober coach outside an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting on Aug. 23 — a far cry from his boozy days after the 1970 breakup of the Fab Four.” Of course, attending AA doesn’t necessarily mean someone is also in an in-patient rehab program. And because RadarOnline is oh so classy, it was sure to include this link in its story: “Celebrity Drug Dealers Tell All – Who’s Hooked, Who’s Recovered & Who’ll Die Next.”

But besides being shameless, the outlet also appears to be wrong. A rep for Starr says these rehab allegations are “untrue.” In fact, the spokesperson notes that the music icon is both “happy” and “healthy.” Gossip Cop is glad to hear it.